high range problem (1 Viewer)

[Guest]

My 10gal high range ph is reading 7.8. How do I get it to 8.4 :?

 

[Bakapuma]

First of all, I cant remember if you had live sand or not. That helps to buffer. Second, what is your water supply. Check your ph first to see if that is low coming from your mix. Live rock would help. Also, a filter with crushed coral might help. Lastly, could have been first, do you have any buffer additions?
Let me know whats up

 

[ShaneV]

Did you do a test right after a water change?

Do you make your water? If so do you let it sit over night before using it?

 

[Guest]

I do a test before a water change.
I have live sand & rock, hang on filter, water from a di filter

 

[Bakapuma]

What type of salt are you using. Try adding ph buff?

 

[Guest]

I use oceanic salt.

Puma, I had to move the cowns from the 10gal to the refug on the main tank this morning they aren't looking to good. All I can do now is wait and see.
I'm setting up my 30gal octagon right now. I do need help on making a mini-refuge.

 

[Bakapuma]

Make sure you use water at least 10-15 gs from an established system. Make sure you have enought live rock and live sand. You may need to add some baking soda to your water to buffer it up. That is one of the big probems with nanos is PH range. Oceanic is great on calcium, but sucks on buff. Do it over a couple of days in small amounts to gently raise ph. A refuge wont be needed right away. You can put some macro alg. in with the clowns. Night time is when you have the big ph swing. Let me know what you have lying around. We can set a mini fuge in no time.

 

[Guest]

Well The bad news the first clown died 1hr ago and the second just 5mins ago. The blue damsel and the green clown goby seem to be going great in the 10gal.
What do you think about buying an ac500 and turn it into a refuge for the 30gal octagon? I looked around the house. Not much in the tupperware department.

 

[Bakapuma]

Sam,
Call me next time. I know those are your babies. I think the low range was too much. An ac500 with a light on it is perfect. The gills were damaged by that. Sorry I could not be of better use. If anything like that happens again, let my house them for you. I am so sorry you lost those beautiful saddle backs. E-mail me tomorrow if I can help

 

[Cakepro]

My reef tank has been maintained at a pH of 7.8 for years, as have many, many people's tanks, as a quick search on RC will reveal.

Improper acclimation from a tank with a pH of 7.8 to a tank of different chemistry is the most likely cause of death, or if the tank plummeted from a higher pH to 7.8. Otherwise, clownfish and other marine fish can be perfectly happy and healthy in a tank with a pH of 7.8.

 

[Trey]

Hello Sam,

I have to confirm Sherri's statement about pH. If the pH was stable at 7.8, I wouldn't think that that was the culprit. As for why the tank pH is 7.8 instead of 8.2 (typical sea water range), there can be many reasons. One that hasn't been covered earlier in this post is the presence of excess CO2 in the atmosphere. This is not uncommon in our air tight homes in Houston.

I hate to hear about your loss and hope that it all works out for you soon.

Trey